Blamestorming

新單字
1. scapegoat 代罪羔羊
2. global recession 全球性的經濟衰退


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Brain storming is a method of creating ideas where a group of people sit down and make random suggestions, writing down everything that comes into their heads. The theory is that this should result in creative ideas, and lots of them.
腦力激盪是指一種創造許多新點子的方法，一個團隊裡所有成員坐下來並且做出許許多多的建議，把所有腦子裡的東西寫下。這立論於此方法最後可以找出一大堆有創造力的點子。

Blame storming is quite similar, but more specific. Blame storming is a method of collectively finding someone to blame for a mistake that no one is willing to confess to. Blame storming is where a group or organisation gets together to pick out a suitable excuse or scapegoat. You might say that after a good blame storming session, the government decided to blame the current problems with the economy on factors beyond their control/the global recession/the previous government etc.
而指責激盪是相當類似的，並且還更具體。指責激盪是指一個團體找出隨便一個傢伙去承擔沒人想擔的錯誤。指責激盪就是一個團隊或組織聚在一起挑一個指責藉口或代罪羔羊。你也可以這麼說：在一個很棒的指責會議之後，政府決定把目前的問題怪罪到這個經濟上的因素不是他們所能掌控的/是全球的經濟衰退/是前任政府的錯等等。

Companies often indulge in blame storming; so do families. But politicians are the real blame storming champions!
公司企業是時常這麼搞的；家庭也是。然而政客才真正的是指責冠軍呢！

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Brown urges new banks 'contract'

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a new "social contract" with the world's banks to make them more responsible to society.
英首相Gordon Brown日前呼籲世界銀行家的新「社會規範」應對社會負起更多的責任


Mr Brown told a G20 meeting in Scotland it was not acceptable that banking success was reaped by the few but failure was "borne by all of us".
Brown先生於蘇格蘭舉辦的G20會議中提出，成功的利潤總是由少數銀行享用，然而虧損卻總是「全民買單」。


He called for a fund for future bank bailouts to be considered, possibly paid for by a tax on transactions.
He also said it was "essential" there was progress on funding climate change.
他呼籲銀行未來的紓困資金發放應更加審慎，因此資金的來源是從稅收與證交稅支付。他也談到大環境正在改變時，資金的流向是「至為重要的」。


Taxpayers' burden納稅人的負擔

Mr Brown told the meeting of G20 finance ministers in St Andrews that there should be a "just distribution of risks and rewards".
Brown先生在聖安德魯舉行的G20會議中對財務小組談到，此類會談只應談到「風險與獲利的分佈(意指不該談論如何申請政府協助紓困)」。


"I believe we should discuss whether we need a better economic and social contract to reflect the global responsibilities of financial institutions to society," he said.
Mr Brown said the financial sector was so key that governments had no choice but to step in when it failed.
「我認為我們應該討論我們是否急需一個更好的社經規範去反映全球財務機構對社會的責任，」他如是說。Brown先生說因財金行業是非常關鍵的以致政府別無選擇只能一味彌補他們的失敗。


He added: "And it cannot be acceptable that the benefits of success in this sector are reaped by the few but the costs of its failure are borne by all of us."
他更補充：「並且成功的果實由少數金融業者享用然而失敗的成本卻由全民買單，這是令人無法接受的。」



Mr Brown repeatedly stressed the need for "global" action on reforming the world's banking system.
Brown先生重複地強調對「全球性的」重建世界金融系統行動式多麼急需。


He insisted: "Britain will not move unless others move with us."
他堅持：「英國不可能讓步，除非其他人跟著我們走。」


Mr Brown admitted there would be "enormous and difficult practical and technical issues" but a "better social contract" was needed with banking systems to make them more responsible.
Brown先生承認那將會帶來「艱鉅的實務技術議題」然而「更好的社會規範」令金融系統承擔起更多的責任卻是不可或缺的。


He said it could be funded in a number of ways, including a global levy on transactions.
他說那可藉由數種方式來建立，包括全球性的證券交易稅。


Other options, he said, were an insurance scheme, a global "resolution fund" or a contingent capital arrangement.
其他的選項，他說道，是藉由保險計畫，一種全球性的「紓困基金」或是資本契約。


The UK has in the past been opposed to transaction levies, known as Tobin taxes, believing they could damage the interests of the City of London.
英國過去一直以來便抵制對徵收證交稅，最為人知的便是Tobin稅，被認為將會減損倫敦的稅收。


The BBC's Joe Lynam, in Saint Andrews, says Mr Brown's calling for an insurance levy or transaction tax is the verbal equivalent of a cruise missile being thrown into the debate.
BBC記者Joe Lynam，在聖安德魯報導Brown先生推動徵收保險稅或證交稅之言簡直如同一枚飛彈丟進辯論之中。



The call took many delegates by surprise, and sources close to the Canadian and American delegations suggest their response could be lukewarm, our correspondent says.
此番宣言令許多代表震驚，且結果接近加拿大與美國代表所建議的，他們的回應可以更加婉轉，我們的相關人士如此談到。



The British Bankers' Association quickly cast doubt on the effectiveness of such financial transaction levies.
英國銀行業者協會迅速的對徵收證交稅所能得到的成效投以質疑。



Chief executive Angela Knight said: "[They] don't work as they require perfect or near-perfect global implementation."
執行長Angela Knight說道「對於全球性的成長(他們)並沒有做到如他們先前所要求的完美，或者說接近完美。」


But a senior policy adviser for Oxfam, Max Lawson, said he would welcome a tax on banks as "a major step towards clearing up the mess caused by their greed".
Mr Brown also told the G20 finance ministers it was not the right time to end stimulus packages that many governments have introduced to bolster their economies.
但Oxfam的資深顧問，Max Lawson，卻歡迎政府對銀行徵稅，是「往清除政府貪婪的污穢上邁進一大步」。Brown先生也對G20財務小組言道這並不是結束去刺激許多已經引進徵收此類稅收的去振興經濟的政府的好時機。


Some G20 nations, including the US, Japan and Germany, want to debate "exit strategies" to end the measures.
一些G20的會員國，包含美國，日本及德國，希望討論「目前政策」去改變現有標準。



But Mr Brown said: "It would be dangerous to put recovery at risk by suddenly cutting off the funding and investment that is supporting families and businesses."
Earlier, UK Chancellor Alistair Darling urged the finance ministers to work towards agreeing on how to finance climate change reform ahead of the key summit on the issue in Copenhagen next month.
然而Brown先生說：「突如其來地去斷絕支撐許多家庭與企業的金援與投資，有在經濟復甦之際放入更多風險的危險性。」早先，英國大臣Alistair Darling促進財政務同意努力朝向下個月在Copenhagen舉行討論如何改變經濟環境與重建關鍵之議題。



"I think it really is imperative that when we reach the end of the day that we have shown that we have made some real progress," he said.
However, there has been disagreement with some representatives about whether this is the right forum for detailed discussion of the issue.
「我認為當我們面臨困境，我們必須展現擁有真正的改善行動是至關重要的，」他說道。然而，一些代表對於此議題細節之討論是否正確卻提出反對聲浪。

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US 'grieving' after army shooting

US President Barack Obama has said the "entire nation" is grieving after a shooting that killed 13 people at a Texas army base.
美國總統Barack Obama在此次堪薩斯軍隊基地讓13人致死的槍戰中說到，「舉國」哀悼。



He said he had ordered all flags at the White House and other Federal buildings to be flown at half mast until Veterans Day on 11 November.
Meanwhile hundreds of people held a candle-lit vigil at the Fort Hood base.
Major Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, a US-born Muslim and army psychiatrist, opened fire at Fort Hood on Thursday.
他談到，他已下令所有白宮與聯邦建築都降半旗，到11月11日的老兵紀念日為止。與此同時，成千上百的人人手一支蠟燭在Fort Hood基地祈禱。Nidal Malik Hasan少校，得年39歲，一個出生於美國的穆斯林及軍中的精神科醫師，星期二在Fort Hood開火。


He was due to be deployed soon to Afghanistan, a military official said.
Family members said Mr Hasan was strongly opposed to the deployment and had wanted to leave the army.
Mr Obama cautioned against "jumping to conclusions" and said the motives for the shooting were being investigated.
他本來是要調到阿富汗去的。一位軍中高層說到。Hasan先生的家人說他那時激烈的反對此次調職並且打算離開軍中。Obama先生提醒切勿「妄下斷論」，並說一定會調查此次槍戰發生的動機。


"What we do know is that their families, friends and an entire nation are grieving right now for the valiant men and women who came under attack yesterday," he said on Friday.
「我們所知的就是他們的家人、朋友和全國同胞都同時為此致哀，為這些在昨天攻擊下喪生的勇敢的男女，」星期五時他如此說到。


He added that the order for flags on federal buildings to fly at half mast was a "modest tribute to those who lost their lives".
他並補充道，在聯邦建物都降半旗的命令「是對他們所奉獻的生命最誠摯的敬意」。


Later Japanese media reported that Mr Obama had asked to postpone his visit to Japan next Thursday by a day so that he could attend a memorial service for those killed.
The chief of staff of the US Army - Gen George Casey - said the attack had been a "kick in the gut" for the entire army.
稍晚日本媒體便報導道Obama先生已要求將下禮拜二將訪日的行程順延一天，令他得以參加此次罹難者的紀念儀式。美國防部長─Gen George Casey─談到此次攻擊已成軍方形象的「重創」。


On Friday, US soldiers and civilian residents at Fort Hood attended a candle-lit vigil in honour of the victims of the shootings, many crying and bowing their heads.
"Remember to keep breathing ... keep going," Chaplain Douglas Carver told the crowd, quoted by AP news agency.
在星期五，美國軍人及民眾在Fort Hood參與了榮耀槍戰罹難者的燭光禱會，伴隨著無數的哭泣及禮敬。「永遠記住要努力生活...要繼續活下去，」Chaplain Douglas Carver對群眾如是說，來自AP報社的引言。


Over 100 rounds fired 經過了百回往來開火

The attack began at about 1330 (1930 GMT) on Thursday at a personnel and medical centre at Fort Hood - the largest US military base in the world, home to about 40,000 troops.
此次攻擊發生在星期二，1330(1930GMT)，在Fort Hood個人醫療中心─世界最大的美軍基地，容納了約40,000個連。


The commander of the base, Lt Gen Robert Cone, told NBC News that, according to eyewitnesses, Mr Hasan had shouted the Arabic phrase "Allahu Akbar!" [God is great] before opening fire.
此基地的指揮官，Lt Gen Robert Cone，透露給NBC的消息是，據目擊者所言，Hasan先生
在開火之前吶喊著阿拉伯文「Allahu Akbar!」(真主至大)。


Deputy commander at Fort Hood, Col John Rossi, later said that more than 100 rounds were fired during the attack.
Fort Hood的副指揮官Col John Rossi稍晚則表示在攻擊時開火超過100輪。

Col Rossi also confirmed earlier reports that the two handguns carried by Maj Hasan were not military arms, but "privately owned weapons".
Col Rossi不僅確認了先前的報導，說兩支不屬於軍中的手槍都是由Maj Hasan所有，且是「私人擁有之槍械」。


He said that the suspect - who had been on a ventilator in a civilian hospital - was transferred on Friday by helicopter to the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
他說嫌犯─目前已在市民醫院戴上呼吸器了─於週五由直升機轉調到位於堪薩斯州聖安東尼奧的Brooke軍醫院。


'Nightmare' 夢魘
Maj Hasan was shot four times during the attack and is currently being treated in hospital under armed guard.
Maj Hasan在攻擊發生時身中四槍，目前已由軍中監獄管轄的醫院處理救治中。


The policewoman who shot him first - named as Kimberly Munley, 34 - was among those wounded.
一位女警率先對他開火─名為Kimberly Munley，34歲─是其中一名傷患。

A picture is beginning to emerge of the suspect, a psychiatrist who was transferred to the Texas base in July.
此相片是目前在急救中的嫌犯，一名七月時轉調到堪薩斯基地的精神科醫師。


Reports suggested that he had been increasingly unhappy in the military and that his work at his previous post - Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC - had been the subject of concern.
報告中顯示他在軍中積鬱已久，以前他先前所在的單位─位於Washington DC的Walter Reed軍隊醫療中心─都曾提醒應注意此情形。


His cousin told US media that Maj Hasan had been opposed to an imminent deployment overseas, describing it as his "worst nightmare".
He also said that Maj Hasan had been battling racial harassment because of his "Middle Eastern ethnicity".
他的堂兄告訴美國媒體，Maj Hasan早先曾激烈反對一個令他不甚愉快的海外調職，甚至說那是他「最可怕的夢魘」。他也提到Maj Hasan也不願發生種族戰爭，因他的「中東血統」。


Asif Qadri, who runs a clinic at a Muslim community centre where Maj Hasan prayed in Silver Spring, Maryland, told the BBC: "He seemed to be quite a gentleman... When I saw this news last night, it was unbelievable to me that this was the same person."
The imam of the mosque, Mohamed Abdullahi, said: "I never assumed that someone who took care of the mentally ill would himself be having problems."
Asif Oadri，一位曾求診於一個Maj Hasan以往參拜的位於Silver Spring的穆斯林聯絡中心的Maryland醫生的男子，透露說：「他看起來非常紳士…當我昨晚看到這個新聞，對我來說簡直就不敢相信那是同一個人。」



A fellow Fort Hood soldier told the BBC that the incident could put pressure on Muslim American soldiers.
一位隸屬於Fort Hood的士兵對BBC透露這樣的意外將會對美國穆斯林軍人造成壓力。


"It kind of puts a negative light on them and makes people distrust them because everybody is going to look at them [and think]: 'Well, you're probably going to pull something like this'," the soldier said. "And it's a sad fact that that will happen."
「那多少會對他們造成負面的影響，並且令人們對他們喪失信心，因為所有人將以不同的眼光看待這些穆斯林士兵(及猜測)：『喔，你們有可能會做出像那樣的事情啊』，」這位士兵說。「然而這令人遺憾的事卻無可避免一定要發生。」


The New York Times said the FBI had been investigating internet postings by a man called Nidal Hasan that appeared to back suicide bombings - but said it was not clear whether it was the suspect.
紐時報導指出FBI已經深入調查一篇由一位名為Nidal Hasan，有可能是自殺炸彈客的男子所張貼的網路文章─但是無法斷言那是否就是死次事件的嫌犯。


Gen Cone said a graduation ceremony for a group of soldiers was taking place nearby at the time of the shooting.
Gen Cone說這期軍校畢業生的畢業典禮將擇地舉辦，時近槍擊的時期


"Thanks to the quick reaction of several soldiers, they were able to close off the doors to that auditorium where there were some 600 people inside," he said.
"As horrible as this was, I think it could have been much worse."
「感謝幾位兄弟如此快速的反應，他們才得以對外界閉鎖消息，有600人牽涉其中，」他說。「這次事件真的很恐怖，我想那是很有可能產生更糟更糟的結果的。」


In an e-mail to the BBC, a US soldier stationed at the base described the venue as a large, open room where hundreds of soldiers were queuing up to get their pre-deployment checklists signed off.
在一封致BBC的e-mail中，據一位駐紮在此基地的美國士兵所述這裡佔地遼闊，開放空間中可讓成千上百位士兵列隊去拿簽好名的部屬前檢查清單。

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Monty Python in US election row

來做點上進的事情兒。

Voters in the American states of New Jersey and Virginia will be going to the polls to choose new state governors. This row's over a campaign advert used by a Republican candidate in New Jersey. But it's not his rival politicians who are getting angry, it's the comedians who've had a starring role, without giving their permission.

美國紐澤西和維吉尼亞州的投票人將選出他們的新州長。這則不被認同的競選廣告來自紐澤西州的共和黨候選人。然而這並未激怒他的政敵，因為此則小鬧劇有一個未經過本人同意就指派的主角。


The advert features part of a Michael Palin sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus. He asks viewers if they've ever suffered from deja vu... then repeats the question again... and again... and... you get the idea.

這廣告的特色在於一個Monty Python的飛行馬戲團製作的關於Micheal Palin的小短劇，Micheal問觀眾們是否曾經因為一而再再而三看到他感到痛苦...然後再問一次...再來一次...還有...你知道我接下來要說什麼。


The campaign plan was to show up Chris Christie's rival candidate Jon Corzine, who's got a reputation for repeated attempts to impose higher charges on motorways. But Michael Palin's called the whole thing a 'terrible mistake', and his former co-star, Terry Jones, described it as 'totally outrageous'. They're threatening legal action, pointing out Christie himself's a former lawyer who should have done his copyright homework. Michael Palin couldn't resist cracking a joke though, saying Christie had picked the wrong Palin, and should have been after the backing of US politician Sarah Palin.

而這個競選企劃意在凸顯Chris Christie的競選對手Jon Corzine,一位之前以不斷嘗試在機車道上強加更多限制而聞名的先生。然而Micheal Palin稱做所有的一切都是「可怕的錯誤」，以及先前與他聯袂主演的Terry Jones，說那整個就是「太超過了」，他們就如此用法律動作威脅Christie，並指出身為前律師的Christie應該好好寫一下有關著作權的作業(暗指Christie沒做好準備就出來混)。Micheal Palin無法遏止他想大發雅謔的心情，說Christie真是挑錯Palin來當對手了，他應該找美國政治人物Sarah Palin才對。


Despite all the comic drama, Chris Christie is expected to win the vote in New Jersey, even though President Obama made two campaign stops there on Sunday.

暫且不提所有的漫畫小劇，Chris Christie已是最被看好贏得紐澤西選戰的人物，即便是總統Obama在星期日時兩次來拉抬聲勢。


Maddy Savage, BBC News

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